The 25th Annual 2012 Sales Awards Banquet for the Hamilton Burlington Automotive Dealers Association

The 25th Annual 2012 Sales Awards Banquet for the Hamilton Burlington Automotive Dealers Association was held yesterday, February 12, 2013.  The event is held annually to bring together dealers and industry partners, as well as recognize Hamilton and Burlington’s top sales producers.

This year we are proud to announce the recipients of this award for our three locations – Image Honda, Queenston on the Mountain and Queenston on Centennial.

Image Honda proudly recognizes Rob Cahunek as this year’s HBADA sales winner for the 4th year in a row.  Rob has been a sales expert at Image Honda since 2006 and has also been a “Sales Leader” with Honda Canada Sales Council in 2009/2010. Rob Cahunek The runner up for the HBADA Sales award is Andy Hewitt.  Andy has been serving Image Honda’s sales department since 2010, and has been in the automotive industry since 2007.Andy Hewitt

Queenston on the Mountain is proud to announce Chris Hopf as this year’s HBADA Sales Award Winner.  Chris has been a member of the Queenston on the Mountain sales team since 2009.  His goal is to ensure that every customer knows that he is there for them, especially for the long haul.Chris Hopf  We are also pleased to announce Brian Lamb as this year’s HBADA sales winner runner-up. Brian has been a member of the Queenston family since 2012, bringing with him over 22 years of experience selling GM vehicles. His no pressure approach helps you feel at ease and gives you confidence in knowing that you are working with someone who understands your wants and needs.Brian Lamb

Queenston on Centennial’s HBADA Sales winner is Billy Zych, who has been with Queenston on Centennial since 1984.  Billy has been in the car business for over 36 years, and has been a Gold GM Sales Marketing Guild member for more than 35 years.  His passions are the car business, his historic Chevy Nova and his family.Billy Zych  The runner up for the 2011 HBADA sales award is Marty Muis. Marty has been with Queenston on Centennial since 1987 and in the automotive industry for 26 years. Marty has won the Bronze and Silver Sales Marketing Guild award for 18 years. When he is not selling cars, he enjoys golfing and boating.Marty Muis

Congratulations to all of this year’s recipients and runner-ups and thank you to our loyal customers!

The All New 2013 Chevrolet Trax

Honda Accord and Fit Receive Car and Driver Magazine’s 10 Best Car Award!

Honda does it again!  We are pleased to announce that the 2013 Honda Accord and 2013 Honda Fit have been honoured, yet again, with Car and Driver Magazine’s “10 Best Cars” Awards.    This prestigious and highly competitive award is not new to Honda.  The Accord has achieved Car and Driver’s “10 Best Cars” status a record 27 times in the 31 years this competition has been held.  Not to be outdone, the Honda Fit holds the title in each of the 7 years it has been for sale in North America!


So, how does Car and Driver conclude what qualifies as a “10 Best Car”? Each September, the editors of Car and Driver test all 2013 models under $80,000, as well as returning winners.  Over the course of a week, they test-drive these vehicles a combined distance of over 15,000 miles before reaching a decision.

If you are interested in test driving the 2013 Honda Accord, 2013 Honda Fit or any of our vehicles in the award winning line-up – please visit us at www.imagehonda.com or call us at 1-888-375-5914
By: Amy Cochren

Credit:
Car and Driver
Honda Canada

Winter Driving Made Easy

It is important to maintain a clear visual of the road while driving. Now that we are in the winter months, our windshield is susceptible to frost, ice, snow, rain and sleet, which can make it difficult and sometimes dangerous to drive. However, with a little maintenance and preparation, you can make your winter drive a little better.  At our dealerships, we offer a wide array of maintenance services that will prepare you for Old Man Winter. 

Wiper Blades:  There is nothing worse than getting to your car in the morning when you are late for work only to find your windshield frozen over.  Often times, people will run their blades over the frozen windshield in order to clear it. This severely reduces the life span of your wiper blade. Wiper blades frequently get neglected on most cars and yet, they are constantly used and exposed to harsh conditions.  We recommend that you change your blades at least once a year, preferably every 6 months. 

Stone Chip Repair: A stone will most likely chip your windshield at least once over the course of your ownership.  If untreated, it will continue to crack reducing your visibility and can be potentially dangerous. As the cold weather takes effect, you will find that the crack with get increasingly larger. At our dealerships, we offer a stone chip repair service – this quick and affordable service will save you money… and your windshield. 

Wax your lights:  You might be saying to yourself, “Wax my lights?”  Yes, visibility in the winter months can be minimal, so it is important that you are getting maximum light from head lamps.  Adding a little car wax to the lights and then wiping off and buffing with a towel will assist in preventing ice and snow from sticking.  The same practice can be applied to your taillights.

We hope you found these tips for winter driving helpful.  If you would like to schedule a service appointment at one of our dealerships, please visit us at www.imagehonda.com or www.queenstonchev.com

By: Amy Cochren

2013 Chevrolet Trax

New to Canada this year is the all-new 2013 Chevrolet Trax. Unavailable in the United States, the Trax is Chevy’s first entry into the small SUV class.  This vehicle has the flexibility of a small car, while offering you the feel and practicality of an SUV.  Marc Comeau, Vice President of Sales, Service & Marketing for Chevrolet Canada, described the Trax as a vehicle “building on Chevrolet’s long tradition of offering dependable and capable SUVs and crossovers.  Trax delivers modern styling, versatility and efficiency, while offering car-like handling and all-wheel drive.”

Operating with the same engine as the Chevrolet Cruze, the Trax drives on a 1.4 litre, turbocharged, 4-cylinder engine with an output of 138 horsepower and 148 lb-ft of torque.  The three trim levels available are: the LS, which come with standard front-wheel drive and 6 speed manual transmission; and the LT & LTZ models that come in a 6 speed automatic transmission with an all-wheel drive option.

The innovative Chevrolet MyLink is standard on the 2LT and LTZ models, and is available as an option in the LS model. MyLink is an in-vehicle connectivity system that provides audio streaming for your devices, as well as wireless control of your smartphone.

Catering to passenger comfort, the Trax provides 60/40 fold down seats.  The front passenger seat can also be folded flat providing you with up to 8 seating arrangements.  There are also numerous areas for storage and 6 cup holders made accessible for your passengers on those long car trips.

The Chevrolet Trax is set to arrive at Queenston before the New Year.  If you are interested in this vehicle or any other vehicles in our award winning Chevrolet line-up, please visit us at www.queenstonchev.com

By: Amy Cochren

Credit:

http://www.gm.ca/gm/english/vehicles/chevrolet/trax/feature-2013-Chevrolet-Trax

http://media.gm.ca/media/ca/en/gm/news.detail.html/content/Pages/news/ca/en/2012/Sep/0928_Trax.html

Distracted Driving: How you can prevent it!

We all know that distracted driving is dangerous, but are we aware how dangerous it truly is?  Ontarians have now had a couple years to get used to the “new” law, banning hand held devices while driving, yet we continually see people texting, using their mp3 players, GPS units and the like.  The law, which was put in place on October 26, 2009, makes it illegal for drivers to talk, dial, email or text using hand held devices.  Additionally, it prohibits drivers from viewing display screens that are not related to operation of the vehicle.

Do you know your crash odds?
People texting while driving are 23 times more likely.
People talking on a cell while driving are 4 to 5 times more likely.
People who read while driving are 3 times more likely.
Individuals applying makeup while operating a vehicle are 3 times more likely.
Individuals reaching for a moving object while driving makes you 9 times more likely.
Dialing on a mobile device makes you 3 times more likely.

What is alarming given these statistics is how many people don’t take this offence seriously.  According to a study completed at the University of Utah, distraction caused by cell phones or mobile devices delay someone’s reaction time the same as an individual driving with a blood alcohol level of 0.08.  Furthermore, driver distraction is a factor in about 4 million motor vehicle accidents in North America each year.

In recent years we have seen a great improvement with in vehicle technology. Most new vehicles are now equipped with devices such as; Bluetooth, OnStar and HondaLink.  These are all programs that can help drivers embrace the new distracted driving laws. There are also new smartphone applications that have been made available to drivers.  One such app is called “Text Ya Later,” (Android only) which allows you to create a message letting others know that you are driving and will text them later.  This message can be set so that it is automatically delivered when activated.  Another application, more suited to parents, is “Mobile Tattletale”. (For a list of supported devices, click here)  When installed on a mobile device and the driver is moving, Tattletale will generate a warning message to the parent’s phone, giving them the ability to temporarily disable their child’s mobile device until the vehicle has come to a stop.  Keep in mind that while these new technologies are helpful, for your safety and those around you, it is best to keep your eyes on the road and save the distractions for later.

If you are interested in purchasing a new vehicle or would like more information on OnStar or HondaLink, please visit us at www.imagehonda.com and www.queenstonchev.com

By: Amy Cochren

Credit:

CAA http://distracteddriving.caa.ca/education/index.php
MTO http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/safety/distracted-driving/index
Ontario Provincial Police http://www.opp.ca/ecms/index.php?id=545
go.drive www.godrivemag.com
http://mobiletattletale.com/supported-devices

2013 Honda Accord Preview

This video gives a brief introduction to the 2013 Honda Accord and is the first video in our Accord Series. If you are interested in the 2013 Honda Accord or any other vehicle in the award winning Honda line-up, please contact us at 1-888-375-5914 or visit us at http://www.imagehonda.com